To Paradise

"To Paradise" is an audacious and masterful novel that spans three centuries, exploring varied interpretations of the elusive idea of utopia. Crafted by Yanagihara, it delves deeply into the human yearning to shield those we care for—be they partners, loved ones, family, friends, or fellow citizens—and the sorrow that follows when we are unable to do so.In an alternate 1893 America, New York resides within the realm of the Free States, promising a society where individuals seemingly have the freedom to live and love as they wish. Fast forward to a 1993 Manhattan, where the shadow of the AIDS epidemic looms; a young man from Hawaii shares his life with a significantly older and wealthier partner, all the while concealing the secrets of his troubled upbringing and his father’s fate. By 2093, we witness a society plagued by recurrent pandemics and controlled by authoritarian governance, where a gifted scientist's granddaughter grapples with life in his absence and seeks to uncover the mystery behind her husband’s disappearance.The threads connecting these characters and their diverse versions of America are the quintessential human experiences—fear, love, shame, need, and solitude—and the persistent quest to find one's own earthly paradise.